Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, Ejiofor Benton, has fled his Place of Primary Assignment in Abia State and gone into hiding, alleging that officers of the Imo State Police Command are hunting him following the arrest of his father over a family property dispute. The corps member made the allegations in a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, dated September 15, 2026, which was obtained by SaharaReporters. Benton said the alleged police harassment has forced him to abandon his PPA, affected his health and national service, and disrupted his farming activities.
According to the petition, the crisis began on September 1, 2026, when about six armed police officers arrived at the residence of his father, Mr Macqueen Ejiofor, in Umukor, Nkwerre, Imo State, while the elderly man was preparing breakfast. The officers allegedly arrested him and took him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Owerri, which operates the Anti-Cultism Unit. Benton alleged that the officers bypassed the Nkwerre Police Station and did not inform his father of the specific offence he was alleged to have committed at the time of arrest. He said it was only after his father was transported to Owerri that he was told the officers were acting on the instructions and financial inducement of his elder sister, who resides in England.
The petitioner said his father remained in custody from September 1 until September 5, 2026, when he was released on what he described as highly restrictive bail terms. He alleged that the detention took a physical and emotional toll on his father, who subsequently required medical treatment. Benton described the arrest as an abuse of police powers in what he characterised as a family dispute involving property. “I am deeply concerned that an elderly man was abducted from his home by heavily armed police officers without due process, simply to satisfy the vendetta of an overseas financier,” he said.
Benton alleged that the matter subsequently shifted to him, claiming that police officers had been attempting to locate and arrest him over an accusation that he threatened his aunt, who is based in the United Kingdom. “I have been informed by reliable sources that the same group of police officers has been heavily incentivized to locate and arrest me by all means possible,” he said. He denied the allegation categorically. “I categorically and firmly deny this allegation. I have not spoken to my aunt for more than one year. I find the allegation that I am threatening someone residing in England extremely disturbing and legally impossible.”
The corps member said he was willing to cooperate with any legitimate investigation but objected to what he described as an attempt to arrest him over an allegation he considers unfounded. “I am prepared to cooperate fully with any legitimate, untainted investigation, but I respectfully submit that I should not be subjected to harassment, arbitrary arrest, or physical persecution over an allegation that has been entirely manufactured to force our family into submission,” he said.
Benton called on the Inspector-General of Police to intervene and ensure that the officers involved are investigated and held accountable. He also sought the protection of his rights and the safety of his family. The petition is the latest in a series of complaints over the conduct of police officers in Imo State, where allegations of abuse of power in civil disputes have been raised in the past. The Imo State Police Command has not issued an official response to the petition, and the identities of the officers accused have not been disclosed.
The National Youth Service Corps has rules governing the conduct of corps members and the handling of disputes involving them, but it is unclear whether the scheme has been officially notified of Benton’s situation. The NYSC has not issued a statement on the matter. For now, Benton remains in hiding, his father is recovering from his detention, and the family’s property dispute remains unresolved. The Inspector-General of Police has yet to respond to the petition, and the officers accused of pursuing the corps member have not been identified.
The case raises broader questions about the use of police powers in family disputes and the vulnerability of corps members who find themselves caught in the middle of conflicts involving their relatives. It also highlights the challenges faced by young Nigerians serving their country in states far from their homes, particularly when their families become entangled in legal or property disputes. As the petition awaits the attention of the Inspector-General of Police, Benton’s immediate concern is his safety and the well-being of his father. The coming weeks will determine whether the police hierarchy intervenes to address his allegations or whether the matter fades into the background without resolution.
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